Adrenalin Winner Interviews

Chris Dale and Marvin Hester, Chi-Town High Rollers
Chicago, IL
Chris Dale, Adrenalin Award Winner for Best Male Skater
Chris Dale and Marvin Hester, Adrenalin Award Winners for Best Fast Couple

MBR: How did you come up with the name for your group and how long have you been together?
Chris: I originally was a part of the St. Louis High Rollers so when we were deciding on a name for ourselves, we chose to keep the name and change the city to Chi-Town. We met about four years ago; we started rolling with the name Chi-Town High Rollers and began to make things happen.

MBR: How did the two of you meet?
Chris: We met at The Rink on 87th Street here in Chicago. I am originally from St. Louis. I had my own style when I was living there. I danced a lot and went from dancing to dancing on skates. My style was very different from what you see of the St. Louis style, but I broadened it when I moved to Chicago.

Marvin: I am originally from Columbus, OH and have been living in Chicago for the past seven years. Chris and I got to Chicago around the same time. It was some time before we met. People would see us skating at different sessions separately but our styles were so similar, that people automatically connected us together. They assumed we were either cousins or brothers and kept asking us if we were related and the truth was we had never met.

MBR: How do you choreograph your skate moves and routines?
Chris: We make them up as we go from stuff we see on videos or other skaters. I had a lot of ideas and so did Marvin. We watched other people skate and then they came up with more ideas to add to the ones we already had.

Marvin: We try to keep up with the latest of the dances, so what we do is really more like dancing on skates.

MBR: We all have reasons why we skate. Why do you skate? What motivates you to skate?
Chris: I skate for the enjoyment, excitement and Adrenaline rush.

Marvin: Skating is my out. After days of hard work, it is a stress reliever. It calms me when I have a lot of stuff off my mind.

Chris: I'm inspired by my family. One day, our families saw us both on stage performing at a show called "Rhythm on Wheels". They didn't understand what we do until they saw the show and now they approve of it 100%. They had no idea what it was like.

MBR: When you first heard of the Adrenalin Awards, what were your thoughts? How did you feel about it?
Chris: I was excited, it was a good thing, it was inspiring for no matter who won, it was exciting to see that skating was going to another level.

Marvin: No one was recognizing it [skating] for what it is. I thought it was awesome and there are still a lot of skaters out there that don't know about the skate events. By us doing this we can tell people about the Website. The Adrenalin Awards gives us something to look forward to.

MBR: Now that the first one is behind us, do you feel the same, better or worse?
Chris: It's more than what I expected it to be. It turned out really nice. I look forward to the whole process. I like the concept and the make up. The award is nice. I really like it and it works. I'm excited.

Marvin: It is something that should have happened a long time ago. It's been a long time coming for the nominees and winners. I feel everybody should get a trophy. Best this, best that, at one time, everyone has been the best at what they do. They excelled beyond limits. Showing new things we have worked on and what we accomplished. We talk about what we have learned and show one another at each event. We are like one big family.

MBR: How did you feel when you found out you were an Adrenalin Nominee?
Chris: Although I was not too surprised at the nominations, I was very surprised to actually win. The rest of the nominees in the categories that we won are also very talented. There was some good competition.

MBR: Did you campaign to get people to vote for you or did you just sit back and let the voters make an unsolicited decision?
Chris: We are campaigners and fully dedicated. A lot of people did not have computers and they felt it was a wonderful thing we deserved and they were happy to vote. Especially Chicago and St. Louis. A lot of people came up and asked us how to vote. They got the word out. It was spreading fast. People were excited and ready to go, we didn't really have to ask.

Marvin: They wanted to support us. They come to all of our shows and to the rink. We have become a household name in Chicago from TV spots, commercials, live shows, and schools. We also did a video shoot for the Casper Slide.

Chris: The support was a reflection of what we try to give to the community. Kind hearts go a long way.

MBR: Did you think you had a chance at winning? If not, who in your category did you think would win?
Chris: We had stiff competition from the other nominees on the ballot. The competition was tight and we feel they all are winners. We didn't think "Oh, we got this". One particular group we met at the Adrenalin Skate Jam, the Wizards on Wheels, we feel they are awesome. Everyone has a different style and everyone is good, and really good at his or her own style. Not once did we think we were better than anyone.

MBR: How did you feel when you won?
Chris: Shocked, surprised and happy. It was a relief. It inspired us to keep doing what we do. We do it from the heart. We are always coming up with new ideas and creativity. We have to come right and represent in a positive manner. MBR: I know first hand that you have won trophies from skating competitions at various events. How is the Adrenalin Award any different from the others that you have won?
Chris: Very different. It felt like a stamp of approval. I feel this is for years of hard work and dedication that we have put in, especially when we use to do free shows. It also says the skaters appreciate the talent and the things that we do.

MBR: What do you think the Adrenalin Awards means to the roller skating community?
Marvin: I would like to see more skating in commercials, videos, movies and stuff like that. People don't see roller skating too much anymore, especially right now. But with things online now, they are beginning to see and I think it is going to blow up. I think it is going to open a lot of doors for a lot of different things.

Chris: I'm sure its all going to be on television in some form of a tour or skate show.

Marvin: I think we should all come together and do a tour, all of us from across the country.

MBR: Do you have any comments or other information you would like to share?
Chris: I would like to see everyone that deserves one, get one. It is an achievement award. I'd like to see a camaraderie of all the good skaters get together and do something, all the cities come together during a skate party, do more with each other, make an even better environment as far as skating.

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